St. Louis Wing Week Returns April 8-15, 2024

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM

Will the Cardinals get what they're paying for from two new pitchers?

Dec 1, 1999 at 4:00 am

[
          {
            "name": "GPT - Leaderboard - Inline - Content",
            "component": "41932919",
            "insertPoint": "5th",
            "startingPoint": "3",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "3",
            "maxInsertions": 100
          }
          
        ]

Did anyone else notice the predictable boosterism behavior of local sports seers on the recent acquisition of castoffs Daryl Kile and Pat Hentgen? Most of them seem to be of the wet-a-finger-and-stick-it-in-the-air-to-see-which-way-the-wind-is-blowing school of sportswriting. After leaving Houston with some decent statistics, Kile stunk up Colorado, both at home and on the road. Hentgen's earned-run average last year was 4.79; the year before, 5.17. Kile's record over the last two years was 21-30; his ERAs for those years were 5.20 and 6.61. Both players were dumped so their old teams could save money. Is this the best the Cardinals, a team that drew more than 3 million people last year, can do? Maybe so, but why not be blunt about what's going on? The nanosecond these pitchers fold, the chorus will change from support to how this all was a lousy idea from the start.

Give us your feedback by e-mailing "Short Cuts" at [email protected], faxing 314-615-6716 or calling 314-615-6711.